Diocese of Oregon
Operations Resource Manual

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8.0 APPENDICES

8.3 PERSONNEL EMPLOYMENT AND COMPENSATION

8.3.1 SAMPLE -- COVENANT OF MINISTRY: RECTOR/VICAR
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8.3.1 - ADDENDUM

 In the case of partial-stipend Rector/Vicar, all sections of the Covenant of Ministry for Rector/Vicar are to be completed as described above.  The following document is to be appended to the Covenant of Ministry.

 1.     The position shall be known as _________________________.

 2.     Full-stipendiary work is understood to occupy about 40 hours per week; therefore, this partial-stipend position will normally occupy ________ hours per week.

 3.     The Vestry/BAC will have clear goals about the partial-stipend position; that is, whether to remain in the same partial-stipend position in the future, or to reduce or increase the hours of this arrangement.

 4.     Certain seasons require more time. Pastoral emergencies do not wait for specific hours.  When a priest devotes more time, he/she will take compensatory time off as soon as possible, without salary compensation.

 5.     The Vestry/BAC will follow diocesan guidelines as to financial compensation.  They will offer the Rector/Vicar the appropriate percentage of the full Salary, Housing, Utilities (SHU) Package.  The Vestry/BAC may increase this amount if they choose.  The Rector/Vicar and Vestry/BAC will negotiate the SHU for the next year by the November meeting of Vestry/BAC.

 6.     The Vestry/BAC will provide full medical coverage for the Rector/Vicar and his/her family, full life insurance through the available diocesan policies, travel allowance and continuing education allowance, the extent of which will be negotiated by the Rector/Vicar and Vestry/BAC.

 7.     The Vestry/BAC is responsible for interpreting to the members of the congregation the status of the partial-stipend Rector/Vicar, constantly reminding them of the partial nature of this position as contrasted with a full stipend position.

 8.     The Vestry/BAC is to be assertive in seeing that work formerly done by a full stipend Rector/Vicar is done by appropriate lay people.  In addition to administrative duties, such work might include pastoral care, teaching, visiting, or sacramental ministries..


8.3.2 SAMPLE -- COVENANT OF MINISTRY: ASSISTANT PRIEST
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8.3.3 SAMPLE -- COVENANT OF MINISTRY: DEACON
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8.3.4 SAMPLE -- COVENANT OF MINISTRY: LAY EMPLOYEES
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8.3.5 FULL TIME CLERGY ANNUAL STIPEND-HOUSING-UTILITIES [SHU]
    RANGE STRUCTURE For the Year 2004

Section 8.3.5 Full Time Clergy Annual Stipend-Housing-Utilities [SHU] For the Year 2008 (PDF version)

A compensation policy for full stipendiary clergy in the diocese was established by Diocesan Convention in 1983, revised in 1985, and again in January 1991.  The objectives of the policy are to provide guidance to the congregations and clergy to establish fair and appropriate compensation throughout the diocese using criteria which recognizes differences in the complexities of the job of a priest in charge of both small and large congregations, and the norms of the Episcopal Church.  The policy provides for annual mutual ministry review, Covenants of Ministry setting forth expectations of both clergy and congregation, and a method of placing congregations in ranges of administrative complexity.

The policy requires that a cash stipend be provided by the congregation in an amount equal to or greater than that listed in the Stipend-Housing-Utilities (SHU) Range Structure authorized by Diocesan Convention and updated annually dy the diocesan Personnel Committee.  SHU for partial-stpendiary clergy shall be calculated by applying their full-time equivalent (FTE) to the amount scheduled for the position based on the range and years of experience in the equivalent range.  The nine ranges address a minimum for the transitional diaconate, six types of congregations, and compensation levels for  Suffragan Bishop (if there is one) and the Diocesan Bishop.

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SHU Administrative Practices

  1. The SHU Range Structure and Administrative Practices apply to all full time stipendiary clergy in the Diocese of Oregon.

  2. a)The Stipend, Housing Utilities Package (SHU) is limited for the purposes of the Range Structure to stipend, housing and utilities.

  3. b) If church owned housing is provided, the applied range is reduced 20% plus the amount of any utilities provided, either in the form of actual costs paid or in allowances provided.

    c) The SHU Range Structure will be adjusted annually by the Diocesan Personnel Committee in accordance with the Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U, US City Average, All Items (1982-84=100), but in no case by less than a 2% increase.

    d) It is expected that additional adjustments of individual SHU's will be considered as a part of the Mutual Ministry Review process.

  4. Covenants of Ministry

    a) Covenants of Ministry for full stipendiary clergy will follow a general format as provided by the diocesan Personnel Committee (see section 8.3.1), will be revised annually, and will include the agreed SHU for the coming year.  A copy of the agreement shall be on file in the Bishop's Office.

    b) Covenants of Ministry must be approveds by the Bishop or the Bishop's representative before the announcement of a call.  Copies should be sent to te Bishop's Office.

    c) It is expected that any adjustments of individual SHU's will be considered annually.

  5. Diocesan Standard

      a) Diocesan Standard for each classification is defined as SHU for a full stipendiary priest with ten years service in that range in the diocese.  Years of service less than ten have an SHU that is 2% less for each year so that the standard entry is 80% of SHU for year 10.  Years of service more thasn ten have an SHU that is 2% more for each year.

      Starting number of years in range is determined as part of negotiations between clergy and Vestry and is included in the Covenant of Ministry for approval by the Bishop.

      b) SHU for ffull stipendiary clergy shall be no less than the canonical minimum (Canon 6.10, Sec. 4 - mimimum for full time Priests or Deacons) which is established by Convention as 80% of the Range B Standard.

      c) If circumstances require a SHU less than 80% of the Standard for the applicable range, a specific plan to reach the 80% level in no more than three (3) years must be outlined in the Covenant of Ministry.

      d) SHU for clergy with five or more years experience in the same range or congregation must be no less than 90% of the Standard for that range.

      e) SHU for clergy with ten or more years experience in the same range or congregation must be no less than 100% of the Standard for that range.

      f) SHU for clergy with ten or more years experience in the ordained ministry must be no less than the Standard for range B.

      g) SHU for a full stipendiary assistant clergy is in accord with range B.

      h) SHU for Mission Clergy is in accordance with the administrative practices of the Ministry of Congregational Development, and SHU for a Vicar may not exceed 100% of the Standard for range B if an SHU subsidy is provided.

  6. Starting SHU for a priest called from another Diocese is determined from the SHU Range for the Congregation issuing the call, then by negotiation between the Vestry and priest. Reference to the check list in the Operations Resource Manual (ORM) Search Process section 5.1.2 may be helpful. The negotiated SHU and process is subject to review by the Bishop.

  7. When a priest in this Diocese is called to a parish in the next higher range, the priest will receive a compensation increase related to his/her position in the former range, i.e., the minimum increase is 10% if the former SHU is below the Standard (mid-point), 7% if above the Standard. In no case will the new SHU be less than 75% of the Standard of the new range. The new SHU is subject to review by the Bishop.

  8. When a priest in this Diocese is called to a parish in the next lower range, the starting SHU is negotiated (refer to Section 5.1.2 in the ORM) between the Vestry and the priest, but never less than the Standard (midpoint) of the new range. The negotiated SHU and process is subject to review by the Bishop.

  9. When a priest in this Diocese is called to a parish which is more than one range higher or lower than the current parish, the starting SHU will be determined as in (5) above...priest from another Diocese.

  10. When a priest in this Diocese is called from a mission, to a parish, the starting SHU will be determined as in (5) above, (priest from another Diocese), but never less than the Standard (midpoint) of range B.

  11. When a priest in this Diocese remains in a parish which grows to a higher range, the parish must qualify for the higher range for one year as reflected in the parochial report for the following year. The priest receives an SHU increase related to his/her position in the former range (10% if below Standard or 7% if above Standard), but in no case less than 75% of Standard of the new range.

  12. When a priest in this Diocese remains in a parish which drops to a lower range, there will be no immediate change in SHU. If, however, the parish remains in the lower range after one year, the reduced range impacts on the SHU will be dealt with through a Mutual Ministry evaluation, with the assistance of a consultant appointed by the Bishop. SHU re-negotiation with a less than full stipend ministry may be indicated. (see Aided Parishes, Sec. 3.3.2)

  13. Part-stipend clergy. SHU for part-time clergy shall be calculated by applying their full-time equivalent (FTE) to the amount scheduled for the position based on range and years of experience in the equivalent range.

 

8.3.6 CONGREGATION RANKINGS
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CONGREGATIONAL RANKINGS

The church congregational range system utilizes data from the Parochial Report in its formula.  The Parochial Report format changed in 1999.  These changes caused a few churches to fall in new ranges in 2000 compared to prior years.

The items used from the Parochial Report are as follows.  The Congregation Rankings Chart uses the result of the following fomula to indicate the relative range positions of all the churches in the diocese.

  • 25% of the average attendance at Sunday services. (Page 2 line 6 of Parochial Report)

  • 25% of the number of pledging units. (Page 3 line 1 of Parochial Report)

  • 50% of the sum of Parochial Report items #10, #11, subtotal E, #16 and #17 divided by 1000.

. [(#10+#11+stE+#16+#17)÷2]
                         1000

8.3.7 Continuing Education Allowance

Diocesan minimum for Continuing Education Allowance $400 per year

8.3.8 Supply Clergy Compensation

The recommended Diocesan minimum standard for Supply Clergy Compensation as applied on March 1, 2001 is as follows:

Holy Eucharist (with or without sermon) $100

For each additional service on the same day add $25.

8.3.9 Standard Diocesan Mileage Allowance

It is customary to reimburse for transportation costs. The standard diocesan rate is the rate allowable by the IRS. Please check with the IRS as this rate changes frequently. The rate established for 2008 is $0.505 per mile; and 0.14 cents a mile for non employees, when giving services to a charitable organization.

 

 

 

 

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